#elsewhere

"Muppet, you idjit, you can't smell me through facetime."

Muffled bark! "Tell me about it!" He settles back into a chair and grins. "Hi Gwen! I see you there too. You're like a backdrop."

"Some cool birds, and an electrikitty. New nevers!"

"MORE Nevers? I was thinking that was a Silverwolf exclusive."

"mm it's the stone wall effect. I'm good setting material" At the backdrop comment

"I think they're just everywhere."

"You know, based on the research I've read, they're actually pretty rare outside of really glamourous places, like Disneyworld."

"Weird. I don't think I've been to a place without them."

"That's why I thought it was a Silverwolf thing. There weren't any in the islands... maybe they're making a resurgence in Concordia? It might be an interesting premise for an academic review."

"Sounds.. uh... exciting, Art?"

"Well, it would be a lot of research." He grins. "But only part of that is book work, the rest is field work, which means going places and looking for them, and talking to locals... alas, the issue is that for a proper study, one must find a noble or person of means willing to finance the work. Nevers don't have a lot of academic interest, other than perhaps as a barometric measure of the level of ambient glamour in an area - and that is simple conjecture...."

"Hey, I'll go on field trips!"

"You two will have a blast. You know, you could even sell it as an excuse to get new clay and crafting materials for Thistle's work too" Gwen hints

A rueful smile. "Maybe, though without a patron, it would be much curtailed."

"Well, ask the Barons."

"Yeah, point out that thanks to Thistle's works, we are already a lead on Never tech and we want to keep that edge" Gwen nods

"Maybe." He sounds a little distant, but then, "Marigold wanted me to check in to make sure you're getting fed, and whether she needed to send anything down?"

"Aw mom" She smiles "Tell her that while nothing is as good as her meals, I'm doing fine and I have both the lodge and local places, BOGGAN run places to eat at , please"

"What about those orange blossom cookies?"

"You sure you want me to say that? She might take it as a challenge! Poor lady was fretting over you two roughing it in some backwater cabin, and then in a house without any proper furnishings..."

"Pretty sure I will benefit from that..."

"...like, say, those orange blossom cookies>"

"Okay okay.. orange blossom cookies, please tell her we'd love some. If it will make mom feel happy and pay Thistle for her construction work"

He laughs. "I bet some might make their way down. Anything else special for you, Gwen?"

A thought "I'm good I..." A thought "Actually, if she gets the urge to make those fancy little brownies with the sprinkles? They always cheer me up"

"My mom gets those too!" He grins. "Gawain likes them. I don't see the appeal as much - how can they be called 'Cosmic' if the sprinkles are not even properly star shaped?"

"We should write a strongly worded letter."

Gwen tries not to be offended "MOm's stuff is not store brought... she custom makes those things and they're SO much better that there is no comparison"

"Letter! Acknowlegment, billet, dispatch, message, missive, note, report!" They hear Fornax's imperious chirp in the background

"he's adorable" SHe admits. Meaning Fornax, not Art, though Thistle might think both

"Yeah, he is." Happy pinky-coral spirals.

Gwen sees the spirals and starts to clarify that she means the dragon, but then instead decides Ah, why ruin it for her and instead says "Wait till he sees what you do with THIS place"

"He'll need to come visit, for sure."

She lowers her voice "We should buy him a t shirt or something whle in the area"

Blink.

"Oh, I dunno if they make dragon-sized ones... maybe a doggie costume?"

"I think Fornax is impatient for his book. Orange cookies and sprinkle brownies, I'll pass the message on." Art responds, after he returns from calming the little wyrm.

"Don't let Fornax down! Thank you for keeping an eye on that nuisance Muppet."

"Any time." A pause, and, "Come back soon, okay? I think the Nevers miss you."

A smirk

"Soon!"

"If you swing by Dad's, I'm sure Janice and Frankie will be happy to see you."

"Why don't you send a postcard from there? I bet Frankie would love to get a piece of mail all his own."

"Just make sure it says it comes from the summer camp." He adds, with a grin.

"Oh! Smart! He'll love that!"

"Good idea, Art"

He beams at the praise, and with final farewells, ends the call. It is, after all, getting late!

There's a banging at the front door soon thereafter!

"OI! LEMME IN YA INGRATES!"

Ah, sweet Briar.